Carve Shows Oaklawn Affinity in Fifth Season

In a race full of returning runners, Carve proved best to take the $100,000 Fifth Season Stakes Jan. 16 at Oaklawn Park .

Sent off as the 7-5 favorite in the field of nine, Carve rallied through the lane to prevail by 3 1/2 lengths over Code West, with pacesetter Zee Bros tiring to third.

Carve was making his first start since weakening to sixth in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) Oct. 31 at Santa Anita Park.

"This is the one we wanted to start our season off with," said owner Michael Langford. "The horse has trained unbelievable. He likes Oaklawn for whatever reason. He's just like his owner."

The win improved Carve's record to seven wins from 19 career starts, while improving his record to four wins from seven career starts at Oaklawn Park.

The Fifth Season was scheduled for Jan. 10 but was postponed when Oaklawn Park canceled opening weekend due to freezing temperatures.

Carve, who is trained by Brad Cox, could come back next in the $100,000 Essex Stakes Feb. 14 at Oaklawn before possibly trying the $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II) April 11. He finished third in last year's Oaklawn Handicap won by Will Take Charge  .

"We're shooting for the Essex," Langford said. "We'll see how it goes from there (regarding the Oaklawn Handicap)."

The Fifth Season unfolded as expected with Zee Bros setting the pace in his first start since taking the listed Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Nov. 15 at Laurel Park.

Zee Bros cut the fractions of :47.01 for the half-mile and 1:11.10 for six furlongs with Carve stalking from second under a confident Jesus Castanon.

At the top of the stretch, Castanon asked Carve and he responded running to the wire, stopping the clock in 1:42.44 for 1 1/16 miles on a fast track.

Carve, a 5-year-old gelding by First Samurai  , won four of nine starts in 2014, including the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (gr. III) June 28 before taking the West Virginia Governor's Stakes Aug. 2. He was bred in Kentucky by Claiborne Farm and Adele B. Dilschneider from of the A.P. Indy mare Apt, a half sister to 2010 champion older male and Claiborne's young sire Blame  . He was claimed from his breeders for $30,000 out of his debut victory in 2013 at Oaklawn.

Code West, winner of the 2013 Matt Winn Stakes (gr. III), rallied from fourth to get up for second while making his first start since Nov. 26 when third in the Zia Park Distance Championship Handicap.

For Greater Glory finished fourth and was followed by Francois, Serendip, Bourbonize, Real Appeal Deal and Doctor Peter.

Carve returned $4.80, $3, and $2.40. Code West paid $3.40 and $2.60, while Zee Bros returned $3.40 to show.